


Gabriel McDowed

by MoPerson



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cafe AU, Cute, Kindergarten Teacher, M/M, Multicultural, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1678145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoPerson/pseuds/MoPerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sort-of love story of  a young Kindergarten teacher and a Cafe barista. A story of encouragement and living out your dreams.]</p>
<p>-a school assignment for my Creative Writing class-</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gabriel McDowed

**Author's Note:**

> please give me some good feedback for this, it was a project. I found it cute.

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

Gabriel McDowed hefted his thick arm over to his bedside table to land heavily on top of his phone. Grasping the slim device in his hand, he blearily gazed at the ceiling as the loud beeping continued. Sighing, he brought the phone in front of his face and stared at the screen with caked, bleary eyes. The brightness made him squint, and he found the swipe button and turned off his alarm.

He sighed and rested back on his bed for a few seconds while he blinked his eyes trying to adjust to them being open. He coughed a few times, dislodging some phlegm and sat up slowly. He brought his hand up to scratch his stubble with blunt fingernails, realizing he needed a shave. Then he decided he’d skip it and instead stop by the bakery to buy a box of treats for the kids.

With his young students on his mind, he walked to his bathroom and flipped on the lights. He shut his eyes completely as the bright fluorescent bulbs came on. He felt as if they were trying to burn them right out of the sockets. He blindly fumbled for the tap, squinting his eyes tightly and subsequently knocking over a bottle of mouthwash.

“Crap.” He cursed.

He found the tap and turned it on, finding the warm setting and washing the gunk off of his face and around his eyes. He could finally open his eyes against the light, and he took the opportunity to inspect his face closer. Taking a close look at his face, his hand slipped and his face slammed into the mirror. He recoiled too quickly and gave himself a head rush, making him swoon slightly on his feet.

“Okay, ow.” He said.

He staggered out of the bathroom and sat on his bed, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead with his rough fingers. He kicked his pants off and toed his socks onto the floor. They joined the growing pile of laundry beside his already full laundry bin. He huffed a sigh and slumped low, looking into his closet. He yawned wide as he got up to pull a pair of jeans down. He reached into the bin inside the closet and fished for a random shirt. He pulled up a relatively new one and tossed them onto the still messy bed.

“Alright, Gabe. Shower, breakfast, bakery, school.” Gabriel’s voice was still scratchy with sleep.

He groaned as he dragged his feet into the bathroom again. He slipped his boxers and shirt off and stepped into his shower. While lathering up his body he splashed some soap into his eye, making it burn and water. As he passed the mirror, dripping wet, he saw his red eye. The blue of his iris looked eerie in the sea of red.

He dried quickly and got dressed in his clothes he had picked out and made his way to the kitchen. He slapped some deli meat and cheese slices onto some rye bread before pulling his lunch out of the fridge and slipping it into his bag. He fixed some coffee and grabbed his keys. As he was walking with his breakfast in his hands he remembered the kids’ assignments he had just finished grading. He tucked them under his arm and walked out of his apartment with a skip in his step.

He was going to the bakery, totally to get some pastries for his amazing students and not to check out the hot barista.

Gabriel slid into his old car and started the ignition and listened to the engine rattle. The check engine light was on and Gabriel ran his hand through his hair. He knew he needed to fix the old Betsy, but he never had the time. He carefully drove to the bakery, humming along the way.

The bakery was small, and the barista was small also. It was a homey brown and warm. There were scents of pastries and vanilla, a wholesome and overwhelming scent of sweets. Gabriel loved the place, frequenting the shop probably too much.

"Oh hello Gabe, buying more treats for your students?" The barista said.

"Yeah, ha ha. It's a nice day and they've been really good lately." Gabriel said.

"The regular twenty eight cookies I assume?" The man's bright smile made Gabriel's stomach do little flips.

"Absolutely." Gabriel was slightly breathless.

As the barista packed the twenty eight cookies in the box, Gabriel took the chance to stare at him. He really shouldn't have been so infatuated with the barista but he couldn't help it.

"I slipped a couple extras in there for you, don't tell my supervisor." The barista winked.

"Okay, thanks Zaiim." Gabriel smiled. "That’s ten bucks, right?" 

Zaiim nodded and pushed his long curls behind his ear. "So you teach kindergarten, right?"

"Yeah. The really little kiddies." Gabriel said as he counted out ten coins. "They're a handful but they're wonderful."

"I'd love to teach a class like that." Zaiim said. "In my culture, teaching young kids is for the women."

"Why not just go for it?" Gabriel looked at Zaiim.

Zaiim's eyes were sad. He had a half smile on his round face and it made Gabriel's heart hurt. Zaiim might not be a person particularly close to him or even someone he could say he knew, but his infatuation for him was strong. He couldn't bear to see him look so defeated.

"My family has already counted me a failure. I couldn't bring more shame to them, I couldn't." Zaiim shook his head.

"Zaiim, I-"

"Don't. Don't encourage me because I know I won't be able to resist. To teach young kids is my dream. You go and give those treats to those children...” Zaiim sighed. "I'll stay here. I'll be here."

Gabriel went to work and gave the cookies to his students with a heavy heart. Without the usual cheery attitude he usually had at the end of the school day, he drove home. He gripped the steering wheel, listening to the upbeat pop music spilling from the radio. He couldn’t sing along with Adam Levine without feeling a deep weight in his heart.

At home, he found his mother busy cooking away, singing loudly and happily to her old Motown CD. Ever since Gabriel’s father had died, she hadn’t had anyone to take care of and she promptly began coddling Gabriel again. She meant well and Gabriel appreciated having her cook for him every few days. But he was preoccupied in his mind concerning Zaiim. He was sure he’d be called on it soon, being moody and quiet around his mother wasn’t something he usually got away with.

He knocked on the wall, smiling at his mother as she waved him over. Her hair tickled his chin as he hugged her tightly. She began chatting amiably and Gabriel sighed. He poured a glass of orange juice into his favourite mug and slid into his cheap wooden kitchen chairs. He pulled his laptop out and began his work. His mother kept talking while she cooked and Gabriel marked his students’ assignments. He worked quickly with his mother’s voice and her old Motown CD playing. He found himself forgetting about Zaiim until his work was pushed out of the way and his mother placed a plate of pasta and greens in front of him. She also placed the few of the extra cookies on a plate beside him and sat down to eat.

Gabriel felt the weight in his chest again.

They didn’t speak much besides his mother worriedly looking at him and asking what was wrong, but Gabriel assured her it was nothing she could help. His mind couldn’t wrap around how someone could want something and not want to pursue it. He imagined not being able be who he wanted to be. It was a sad existence.

That night, Gabriel fell asleep vowing to help Zaiim however he could.

He awoke again to beeping from his phone. He went through his morning routine and drove to the bakery with a mission. He walked into the bakery and was assaulted with the sweet smells again, and saw Zaiim in his spot. He went up to the counter, smiling at Zaiim as the man perked up seeing him.

“Zaiim, look, I know it’s not any of my business but you need to know that you’re capable and you have what it takes to be a teacher if you want to be. Nobody should ever tell you that you’re a failure. If your family doesn't want you to be happy then -sad as it may be- you shouldn't listen. This is all you’ve got, your dreams. You need to make them a reality. I can’t stand by and see you want for something that’s perfectly within your ability.” Gabriel said, looking at Zaiim’s shocked face.

“Gabe’--”

“No, don’t say no. Say yes.” Gabriel gave him a big smile before high-tailing it out of the bakery. His face was beet red, and his hands were shaking. His heart was fluttering in his chest and he tripped over his untied laces right before he got to his car, face-planting into the sidewalk. He sat up, rubbing his bruised forehead with his calloused hand. “God, Gabriel, you’re so stupid!”

At work, Gabriel went to his principal and asked if there were any openings in the teaching staff. He learned that there would be an opening soon, as the school was planning to shift the teaching staff. Gabriel was excited to tell Zaiim, hopefully he would be open to applying for the spot. Gabriel wondered idly if Zaiim had gotten his teacher’s degree and if he was certified. Gabriel was in a much better mood than yesterday and his students told him as much in their tiny, high-pitched voices. As a treat, he allowed them some time to play outside with the tricycles and jump-ropes. The school day finished quickly with the fun.

Gabriel drove to the bakery, ready to tell Zaiim about the opportunity. Inside the little place, people were sitting around the tables, taking advantage of the free available Wi-Fi from the neighboring establishment and the amazing coffee. Gabriel waited in the line, thankful that he seemed to be the last customer. When Zaiim looked up and saw him, he smiled. Gabriel was caught off guard by the beauty in the man.

“--Some cake?” Zaiim asked. “The new kid in the back was trying out a new mango recipe I think you might like.”

“That sounds amazing. I’ll take two.” Gabe said. He took a deep breath and a ten dollar bill.  As he gave his money to Zaiim, he began to tell him about the opening at the school. “If you already have your certifications, you could apply.”

“Gabriel please.” Zaiim said as he made change. “My father would disown me if I told him that not only is his first born son a bastard, born out of wedlock to an American woman, but he wants to pursue a woman’s profession! And that he feels like the gender roles placed on women and men are too restricting-- my family would look at me with even more derision than normal! Saudi-Arabia is not a nice place for half-black half-Saudi sissy boys like me. Even worse that I’m a product of an affair.”

“No Zaiim. You **need** to fulfill your dreams. You just have to.” Gabriel said. He placed his hand on top of Gabriel’s smaller one. “Just promise me you’ll think about it. You’re extraordinary I can tell. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. They’re your dreams, your life and your future. You didn’t choose your family, they can go f—I mean – well. Zaiim, what they think is irrelevant. What you think is paramount.”

After he snatched up his cake, Gabriel left again, face red and hot and his hands shaking. Behind him, Zaiim stood still, his brown eyes cast down onto the counter he had stood behind for almost two years, waiting for… his sign. “Gabe…. Thank you.” A soft smile graced his lips and his mind was made up. “My thoughts **are** paramount.”

Gabriel stopped by his mother’s condo to give her a slice of the mango cake, listening to her chat to him about her new phone. He was anxious to know if Zaiim was going to take up the offer.

The next morning, as Gabriel woke up, he skipped a homemade breakfast in favour of stopping by the bakery. The traffic lights were all green, and Gabriel took it as a good sign. The parking spot outside the door, closest to the entrance was free and he felt like everything was going great. He walked into the bakery and didn't see Zaiim in his usual spot. He was confused when a harried looking woman walked to Zaiim’s spot and looked at him expectantly. Gabriel was very confused and concerned, wondering if Zaiim was alright. He was always at his spot, ready to suggest something for Gabriel with his beautiful smile and gorgeous curls.

“Can I help you sir?” the woman asked. Her voice was sharp and different, and Gabriel was immediately put off by it.

“Uh, I was wondering if Zaiim is here?” Gabriel was nervous for his usual barista.

“Zaiim quit last night. Would you like to purchase anything, sir?” the woman’s eyes were hardened and Gabriel found that he didn't like it. He didn't like the feeling of betrayal he felt in his heart either.

“Can I get a ham sandwich and a chocolate muffin? With a small coffee.” Gabriel handed her the money and she retrieved his order, not thanking him for coming or even giving him a cordial ‘Please come again!’  That Zaiim used to give him before they became acquainted.

Gabriel had lost some of his previous bounce and was solemn as he went to the school. He sat in his car, brushing the last crumbs of his breakfast off his fingers and his overgrown facial hair. He looked on as students arrived in school busses and cars, some of them walking over from the neighbourhood. Then he looked into his classroom and saw familiar curly hair. Zaiim was in his classroom!

Gabriel had never hopped out of the old Betsy and ran into the school so quickly. He ignored the many “Hi, Mr. Mcdowed!”s’ he heard and sped into the classroom. Zaiim was looking at the kids’ art projects on the project board with a soft look in his eyes. Gabriel almost couldn't believe that Zaiim was there.

“Ah, Mr. Mcdowed!” Gabriel spun around to look at the principal. “Have you met you new assistant? We’ve decided to take in a kindergarten assistant for you and Trisha. His name is Zaiim Alhasim. It was really last minute; he came to us last night.”

“Hey Gabe.” Zaiim smiled. “And thank you.”

Gabriel couldn't say a word. He could only smile and laugh.


End file.
